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April 05, 2025
The Independent Voice in Asia
April 05, 2025
Shigeru Ishiba
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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte plans to visit Japan on Tuesday and Wednesday — his first to the Indo-Pacific region since taking office in October, as he seeks to implement lessons from the ongoing war in Ukraine.
JAPAN / Politics
‘Let’s make it practical’: NATO chief eyes greater defense-industrial ties with Japan
By Gabriel Dominguez
Japan and NATO plan to take their partnership to the next level by stepping up information-sharing and defense-industrial cooperation, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte plans to visit Japan on Tuesday and Wednesday — his first to the Indo-Pacific region since taking office in October, as he seeks to implement lessons from the ongoing war in Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war has spurred the biggest market losses since the COVID-19 pandemic.
BUSINESS / Economy
Stocks slump again after China fires back in trade war with tariffs on U.S. goods
The trade war has spurred the biggest market losses since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters after a meeting with the leaders of other political parties at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Ishiba arranging phone call with Trump focusing on tariffs
Ishiba also stressed his resolve to take all possible measures to ease the impact of the U.S. tariffs on small and midsize companies.
Guests play with the new Nintendo Switch 2 video game console system during a presentation at the Grand Palais in Paris on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nintendo delays Switch 2 preorders in U.S. over tariff concerns
The Kyoto-based company is delaying preorders of its hotly anticipated gaming console as it assesses the fallout from the trade tariffs.
Momoka Matsui and her co-worker Saki Matsumoto take photos of acrylic stand figure models of their favorite idols with cakes and teas, which they ordered at a Tokyo cafe where Matsui’s favorite boy band stopped by.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Can Japan's take on fandom help drive spending?
By Satoshi Sugiyama
The explosion of "oshikatsu" (supporting favored celebrities or characters), which entered the mainstream during the pandemic, has economists and the Bank of Japan taking note.
Momoka Matsui and her co-worker Saki Matsumoto take photos of acrylic stand figure models of their favorite idols with cakes and teas, which they ordered at a Tokyo cafe where Matsui’s favorite boy band stopped by.

JAPAN

Anti-Yoon protesters hold up placards reading "Let's build a democratic government!" during a rally in Seoul on Friday after South Korea's Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Yoon's ouster prompts Japanese concerns about ties with South Korea
Japan is worried that Yoon's removal from power will undo the improvements in bilateral relations made under his administration.
Three men are accused of conspiring to store a body, believed to be of a woman, in a freezer at a home in the city of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture.
Shiga police arrest three men for allegedly hiding corpse in freezer
The frozen body was found in a crouched position, still wearing clothes, and is thought to have been kept in the freezer for a long time.
Japan Times 1925: Peace law has several teeth
LDP reels in DPP to win political donation war against CDP
By Himari Semans
Record 7,910 served as 'community reactivators' in FY2024
Countries' mascots beat drum for Osaka Expo

BUSINESS

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled "Make America Wealthy Again" at the White House in Washington on Wednesday.
Nowhere to hide: Trump tariffs leave trading partners cornered
By Ellen Zhang, Maria Martinez and Promit Mukherjee
Hit by 10% to 50% tariffs on their exports, most countries lack the firepower to hit back or the political will to slug it out.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a news conference at the Prime Minister's Office on April 1. He has said that Japan is facing a "national crisis" following the introduction of new tariffs by the United States.
Japan digs deep to address 'national crisis' caused by Trump tariffs
By Francis Tang and Gabriele Ninivaggi
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vows to "unite the entire country" in response to the crisis.
Honda to test renewable tech in space soon
TikTok deal put on hold after China indicated it would reject it over tariffs
Nissan says it will not take new U.S. orders for Mexican-built Infiniti SUVs
Tokyo stocks fall for another day as reality of Trump tariffs sets in
By Kazuaki Nagata

WORLD

Taiwanese National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (left), President Lai Ching-te (center) and Defense Minister Wellington Koo pose for photos with soldiers as they visit the troops during the Rapid Response Exercise at the Songshan military airbase in Taipei on March 21.
Taiwan's top security official visits U.S. for talks
The visit marked Donald Trump's first use of the so-called special channel since returning to the White House on Jan. 20.
An activist holds a picture of Myanmar's junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing, during a protest against his visit to Thailand and attending the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, on Friday.
Myanmar junta chief meets foreign leaders, U.N. says military choking aid
The U.N. said his military was limiting humanitarian aid following the earthquake that killed over 3,100 people amid civil war.
U.S. will know within weeks if Russia is serious about peace, Rubio says
Australia to buy Darwin port lease from Chinese firm, PM says
Judge orders return of wrongly deported Maryland man to U.S. from El Salvador
Democrats slam Trump's dismissal of NSA chief

Sports

The Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin holds up the puck representing his 894th career goal in the locker room after the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin scored the 893rd and 894th goals of his career, tying Wayne Gretzky for most all-time goals in the NHL.
Ovechkin scores 894th career goal to tie Gretzky's all-time record
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin scored his 894th career NHL goal on Friday to tie the once-thought-unbreakable record set by Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky.
Yuka Momiki and Nadeshiko Japan brimming with confidence under Nils Nielsen
By Tiffani Arnold
How Yuki Tsunoda’s new attitude helped him land a seat with Red Bull
By Joel Tansey
UEFA president calls 64-team World Cup for 2030 'bad idea'
Veteran driver Denny Hamlin showing no signs of slowing down

Opinion

DOGE, the U.S. government reform project, embodies America's brash, fast-paced approach to change, while Japan’s cultural norms emphasize slower, more deliberate decision-making rooted in consensus.
The DOGE solution? 'No thanks,' says Japan, with reason
Brad Glosserman
I can’t imagine a DOGE-like beast in Japan. No one can. It is utterly alien to every tradition, precedent or cultural inclination in this country.
‘Liberation Day’ will weigh heavily on the world
Identifying choke points in the semiconductor supply chain
By Eiki Tagami
Europe must set the terms for postwar Russia engagement now
By Thomas O. Falk
Europe’s VAT hurts the U.S.? Retaliate with a VAT.
By Clive Crook

ENVIRONMENT

Fluffy, low-hanging clouds generally have a cooling influence. They are big and bright, blocking and bouncing back incoming sunlight.
Clouds changing as world warms, adding to climate uncertainty
By Nick Perry
Cloud behavior is notoriously complex to predict and remains a great unknown for scientists trying to accurately forecast future levels of climate change.
Trump can't stop 'sustainability revolution': Al Gore
Without new countermeasures, Japan’s temperature could rise 4.5 C by 2100
By Jessica Speed
Why we should worry when whales stop singing
By Todd Woody
What the $660 million Greenpeace verdict means for U.S. activism
By Olivia Raimonde and Zahra Hirji

CULTURE

Sasami has had a connection to Japan since childhood as her mother's side of the family is Zainichi Korean and has lived in Japan for years. The musician grew up listening to city pop and watching Japanese TV.
Sasami is in her pop era, and she’s not overthinking it
By Patrick St. Michel
As the singer explores Tokyo, she reflects on identity and her latest album, “Blood On the Silver Screen.”
Authors hold London protest against Meta for 'stealing' work to train AI
By James PHEBY
‘Unreachable’: An attractive but half-baked fantasy
By James Hadfield
AI may be coming for anime, but Hayao Miyazaki is irreplaceable, son says
By Natsuko Fukue
‘Let’s Meet at Angie’s Bar’: A granny like none other
By Mark Schilling

LIFE

Since April marks the start of a new fiscal period in Japan, there is a good chance you’ll be meeting new colleagues this month.
Meeting new colleagues and introducing yourself in Japanese
By Yuko Tamura
Get off on the right foot at work or school with a few set phrases that are easy to memorize.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
By Johan Brooks
The cold complexity of 'pure' Japanese cocktail ice
By Phoebe Amoroso
Feast your eyes on 'The Complete Illustrated Guide to Japanese Cooking'
By Simon Daly
Traveling the Three-Star Road, the tourist route made from thin air
By Owen Ziegler

COMMUNITY

Shogo Yamaguchi shares his love of traditional Japanese culture with an audience of nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers.
Shogo Yamaguchi: ‘Traditional culture thrives in a peaceful society’
By Laura Pollacco
The Kyoto-based content creator shares travel tips and reminisces on the path that led him to where he is today.
Meet the cool cat with a roguish mustache
Montessori head educates Tokyo’s children for life
By Louise George Kittaka
How to navigate Japan’s e-commerce platforms and online flea markets
By Jessica Speed
A tawny Kai Ken discovers his courage

Editors' Picks

CULTURE
Tottori takes a bold leap forward in the arts
By Jennifer Pastore
The city of Kurayoshi in Tottori Prefecture celebrated the opening of its public art museum with festivities such as a parade that drew 1,000 revelers.
CULTURE
Haruki Murakami TV adaptation revisits 30 years of watershed moments
By Mike Fu
Though Haruki Murakami's trademark whiff of offbeat existentialism is threaded throughout NHK's "After the Quake," the final episode — conceived as a sequel to the story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" — is the most stylized, featuring an anthropomorphic talking frog (voiced by Non) and his erstwhile associate Katagiri (Koichi Sato).
LIFE
Nintendo to launch the Switch 2 on June 5
By Sam Byford
The controllers for the Switch 2 will attach to the console magnetically rather than sliding on rails as with the original device.
JAPAN
A new human trafficking trend emerges from Myanmar scam centers
By Yukana Inoue
Victims of scam centers who were tricked or trafficked into working in Myanmar gather at a compound inside KK Park, a fraud center on the country's border with Thailand, after a multinational crackdown in February.
BUSINESS
A Canadian made a weekend trip to Costco a Japanese pastime
By Elizabeth Beattie
Under the watchful eye of Ken Theriault, Costco representative director and Japan country manager, the American membership-model wholesaler has flourished in Japan.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone.
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan
By Johan Brooks

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SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

BOARDING & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DAY 2025 (Sunday, April 20)
BOARDING & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL DAY 2025 (Sunday, April 20)

WHAT’S TRENDING

JAPAN
U.S. tourist arrested after bringing a handgun into Japan
Hyogo police believe the handgun a U.S. tourist inadvertently brought into Japan slipped through security procedures at Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture.
JAPAN
3D printer used to construct train station building in Japan
A train station building (front) is assembled from parts printed using 3D printer technology, in Arida, Wakayama Prefecture, on Wednesday.
COMMENTARY
Japan’s leader didn’t read the job description
By Gearoid Reidy
Prime Minister and ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Shigeru Ishiba is facing a political funding scandal that has damaged his reputation and sparked speculation that internal efforts to remove him are underway.
BUSINESS
Japan promises 'bold and speedy' response to Trump’s surprise 24% tariffs
By Francis Tang
U.S. President Donald Trump unveils new U.S. tariffs at the White House in Washington on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Tokyo’s KK Line to close for decadelong overhaul as public greenway
By Jessica Speed
People enjoy running and yoga on Tokyo Expressway’s KK Line, a 2-kilometer elevated expressway cutting through the capital’s commercial Ginza district, when it was opened as a pedestrian space in May last year.